Mikel Arteta praised Arne Slot for the comments he made about Gabriel Martinelli after the Arsenal winger’s role in Conor Bradley’s season-ending injury. The Brazil international was widely criticised for throwing the ball at Bradley and then attempting to push him off the pitch during Thursday’s goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium.

It was then confirmed on Sunday the full-back will not play for Liverpool again this season after the club confirmed he had sustained a serious knee injury against the Gunners. Bradley, though, did not suffer an anterior cruciate ligament injury, but there was significant damage to ligaments and the bone, and he will undergo surgery in the coming days.

Gary Neville and Roy Keane were both highly critical of the Arsenal forward, but Slot opted to defend Martinelli, suggesting the wider issue of time-wasting in football may have led to the flashpoint. And speaking after speaking after Martinelli scored a hat-trick as Arsenal came from behind to beat Portsmouth comfortably to progress into the FA Cup fourth round, Arteta praised Slot for the way he spoke about the incident.

"I must say I think the way Arne Slot spoke after the game was brilliant," the Spaniard told TNT Sport when asked how Martinelli had handled a difficult week.

"Because he knows how the players feel about themselves, about the opposition and about their colleagues. I think it exemplifies someone who knows the game really well.

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"He's in the opposition to make them understand everybody how you feel about them and why you react in a certain way. There was no intention whatsoever to damage a player or to no respect that player."

Arteta also said: "That's personality, come in and talk on the pitch. To play for a big club, you need a big personality because it can be that [being at the centre of a controversial incident], it can be an action that you miss, it can be something that costs you a game, and three days later there is a game, so you need to lift yourself up and make it count.

"Today he scored three goals, tomorrow he’s going to train a hundred miles an hour, for sure. He's not going to change that, that's Gabi. It's part of football and then it's how you take it. But he knew inside the reason why he did what he did."

While Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino said of Martinelli: "We are really happy for him, he's a great guy.

"Everyone that knows him knows he's a really kind kid. He's always smiling, he's always kind with everyone. We are very pleased that he's performing this well.

"Sometimes when you're on the pitch you don't have all the information, and you can react in a certain way, but obviously everyone knows how good of a kid he is, and he never tries to make someone feel bad.

"It's just a small mistake, and he said sorry, and the matter ends there."

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